UNF’s nursing major is one of the most in-demand programs the university offers, and the recent Florida Nurses Association awards conference would suggest the Brooks College of Health has exactly what it takes to field extremely competitive nurses.
The association recently celebrated its centennial anniversary, and in doing so, also named 100 great nurses in the state. They named ten faculty members from the UNF Brooks College of Health among their list.
The following UNF faculty members receive an award: William Ahrens, Dr. Kathy Bloom, Dr. Pamela Chally, Dr. Barbara Drummond-Huth, Kay Fullwood, Dr. Barbara Kruger, Dr. Li Loriz, Dr. John McDonough, Doreen Perez and Dr. Lucy Trice.
Along with celebrating 100 years of nursing advocacy, the group announced election results, research grant recipients, Hall of Fame inductions and the “100 Great Nurses” at a gala in St. Petersburg Sept. 23 until Sept. 26. Those selected among the “100 Great Nurses” received a certificate and pin at the gala, which over 352 nurses and 800 students attended, according to executive assistant for the association Lalel Jones.
The association has recognized nurses on a regional level before, but this is the first time it recognized 100 great nurses out of its statewide membership of over 6,000, FNA Director of Member Services and Leadership Development Leah Nash said.
Nominated nurses and selected as judges for this award had to be members of the association, Nash said.
The “100 Great Nurses” award included categories for administration, advocacy, clinical service, community service, entrepaneurship, education and role modeling. UNF represented itself in the Role Model category, but it did not win spots in the advocacy, clinical service and entrepreneurship categories.
Geriatric nurse-practitioner and adjunct professor Fullwood won the Role Model category.
“I’m really more flattered than excited,” Fullword said. “I’ve had so many role models at UNF, some who won with me.”
Perez, director of Student Health Services and winner in the Role Model category, said the award was truly an honor and not a surprise — regional associations recognized everybody from UNF who won as well, she said.
Perez has served as faculty member at UNF for 22 years, during which time she has visited Washington, D.C. five times to speak to senators regarding student health, she said.
The associated recognized McDonough, professor and director of the nurse anesthetist program, and Ahrens for educational excellence.
The strength of the program as a whole shows with individual wins, McDonough said.
“The leadership provided by Dr. Loriz [director, UNF School of Nursing] is such quality that it attracts the people who get this kind of honor,” he said. “Our program is becoming world-class.”
Loriz spoke on the program, as well.
“We help each other and we like each other,” she said. “When you have situations where people get along, things are a lot easier.”
The associated also honored two UNF graduates – Heidi David Robinson and Gloria Milan – among the Great 100, Loriz said.
“Our professors are so smart. They say a lot of things that go over my head, but are great at bringing things down to our level. On top of that, they aren’t only professors, they work in clinics too,” Katelyn Joiner, nursing senior at UNF, said.
